We write on behalf of our client, the National Hockey League, in connection
with your article entitled "Report on the Russian Mob" contained in your May
1998 issue. On behalf of our client we advise that your article is false,
misleading and defamatory and we demand an immediate retraction. If you fail
to properly and immediately correct the record we reserve all of our clients
rights to see appropriate recovery for libel, and damages in connection
therewith.

Insofar as our client is concerned the falsehoods in the article include:

1. The charge that, upon learning of the allegations of Russian mob influence
in hockey "the NHL stood by idly, even stonewalling a 1996 congressional
investigation." The facts are:

Upon hearing the rumors of Russian organized crime involvement with the NHL
the NHL Security Department conducted a fact finding mission, and interviewed
numerous club officials and Russian NHL players. The results of that
investigation led the NHL to conclude that there was no basis to conclude
Russian organized crime had infiltrated the league. Based upon a continued
monitoring of the situation, the NHL continues to believe this to be the
fact.

The NHL cooperated with the FBI's investigation and even arranged for the
FBI to interview some of the players named in the allegations.

The NHL cooperated with congressional investigators and facilitated the
interviews with Russian players as requested by that Committee.

2. The charge that "the NHL is now so compromised by Russian gangsters that
the integrity of the game itself may be in jeopardy." There is absolutely no
basis for that false and scurrilous allegation, which goes to the very heart of
the true competition upon which NHL games are based.

Corroboration for the foregoing is not limited to statements by the NHL. In
what we understand is a rare public comment, the FBI recently issued a press
statement concerning alleged Russian organized crime infiltration of the
National Hockey League, which read as follows:

"While the Federal Bureau of Investigation is aware of isolated
instances where individual hockey players have been targets of extortion, these
events appear to have occurred at random. The FBI is unaware of any instances
where National Hockey League games have been 'fixed' or even where attempts
have been made to 'fix' a National Hockey League game. The FBI enjoys a good
working relationship with the security department of the National Hockey
League."

3. The implication that the NHL refused to cooperate with your reporter who
was writing the story. Your initial request for interviews were made during
the time immediately surrounding the Winter Olympics with which all personnel
in the League were heavily involved, and most were in Japan. Moreover, in your
subsequent interview applications, you failed, despite our repeated requests,
made in accordance with standard policy, to identify the subject matter of the
interviews. Indeed, one interview that you conducted with a team
representative was set up after you advised--falsely--that you were doing a
story about rising Russian stars in the NHL.

The NHL has an exemplary record of integrity in the outcome of its games. When
charges are raised that organized crime has infiltrated the League they are
promptly and appropriately investigated, as they were here. The allegations of
your article are false, as the FBI has confirmed. Your article is clearly
written with malice in an effort to damage the League's well-deserved
reputation. Please be advised that we demand a prompt retraction of the
allegations in your article. Absent such a retraction we reserve our client's
rights to recover appropriate damages from you.